A serving Cambridge police officer has appeared in court charged with sexually assaulting a woman in a city nightclub.

PC David Cairns-Johnstone, 28, who was based at Parkside police station, spoke only to confirm his name and address at the two-minute hearing at Luton Magistrates’ Court today (December 1).

He is charged with intentionally sexually touching a woman aged over 16, while she did not consent, at the unnamed club in Cambridge on October 1 this year.

Cairns-Johnstone had a shaved head and trimmed black beard and was represented by solicitor Emma Collins during the hearing.

The officer showed no emotion throughout the very brief hearing and indicated no plea.

Prosecutor Michael Gallacher said: “The case should be sent up to the crown for a jury trial.”

District judge Carolyn Mellanby agreed and sent the case to be heard at Luton Crown Court next year.

A preliminary hearing will be held at the court on January 9.

Cairns-Johnstone, of Cambridge, was released on unconditional bail until that date.

The PC has been suspended from Cambridgeshire Constabulary since he was arrested in October.

Before his arrest he had been with the police for more than two years and was part of the city’s Safer Neighbourhood Team.

He had blogged about his job as recently May as part of the force’s efforts to show the pubic the everyday lives of its officers and was tweeting prolifically to keep the public informed about police activities.

He left the court with a friend, after briefly speaking to his solicitor, with his head down.

During the hearing several people, believed to be from the force and Independent Police Complaints Commission, sat listening.